The Netherlands will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, according to an announcement made Monday by its broadcaster, AVROTROS. The decision comes as the broadcaster claims the event no longer be considered neutral
due to divisions surrounding the Gaza war.
Taco Zimmerman, director-general of AVROTROS, stated that international conflicts are increasingly undermining the neutral character of the event, turning the contest into a platform for division
. While organizers recently announced that any country involved in an armed conflict would be excluded from hosting the competition, AVROTROS said these changes do not provide sufficient confidence
that the contest’s independent and neutral character has been restored.
Response from Eurovision Organizers
Martin Green, the director of the Eurovision Song Contest, told the Agence France-Presse news agency that the organization respects and understands the choice, though it regrets the decision. Green noted that organizers will look into whether a different Dutch broadcaster might be willing to participate, expressing hope that artists and audiences from the Netherlands can still be represented in the event.
Context of Recent Boycotts
The contest has faced a series of boycotts related to the participation of Israel, which finished in second place in both 2025 and 2026. According to SBS, the 2026 competition saw 131 million viewers, a decrease of 35 million from the previous year. This decline followed the withdrawal of five countries—the Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia—with the latter three opting not to broadcast the show.
Upcoming 2027 Contest
The next event is scheduled for 15 May in Burgas, Bulgaria. This marks the first time the Balkan nation will host the competition, following a victory by Bulgarian singer Darina Yotova, known as Dara, who won this year’s contest in Vienna with the song Bangaranga
.
Zimmerman described the withdrawal as painful
, noting that as a public broadcaster, AVROTROS remains committed to the values that guide its decisions, even when stepping away from an event very close to our hearts
.
